Born in Hyogo Prefecture, Sayuri Ueda is one of the more innovative science fiction authors in Japan. She won the 2003 Komatsu Sakyo Award with her debut novel, Mars Dark Ballade. The Cage of Zeus, her second novel, was originally published in 2004. Her recent short fiction collection, Uobune, Kemonobune (Fish Boat, Animal Boat), was highly acclaimed in the SF community and was nominated for the 2009 Japan SF Award. Also nominated for the Seiun Award in the short story category was "Kotori no haka" (The Grave of the Bird) from the collection. Her latest novel, Karyu no miya (The Ocean Chronicles), won the first prize of Best SF 2010 in SF Magazine and was one of the most noteworthy books of the year in any genre.